The mosaics of Ravenna

[JEEP]

Following up on a link in the Sott article appearing today, Plague and climate change devastated fading Byzantine empire , is a previous article entitled, Comets and the early Christian mosaics of Ravenna , that features a youtube video by Dr. Ruth Dwyer and her examination of the Ravenna Mosaics. She discovers that the mosaics clearly depict "debris from space impacting the Earth".

Now, interestingly enough, although she goes on and on pointing out all the parts of the mosaics that indicate the effects of a comet upon the land, she totally and completely ignores a very unusual object in the sky that stands out like a sore thumb! The object is first seen at 9:30 in the video directly to the right of an inserted red arrow and then even more clearly at 9:41 as Dwyer talks about what's behind Abraham's head while completely ignoring not only his arm which is pointing right at the object but his gaze as well!

As I don't know how to capture screen shots of youtube videos, this pic will have to do - not as clear as in the video but certainly obvious it's there:

Although Dwyer made reference to the religious figures not being of the same time period as the scenes in the mosaics, this video did not get into that. What I've learned is that during certains periods of history, any painting/art work had to be religious in nature - no other subjects were allowed. As these mosaics were in a designated Christian monument, they were religious-inspired art. But it seems the artists were recording the circumstances of the period along with the religious figures and, as it so happens, a stray human operated rocket?

Several well-known depictions of unknown flying objects below - and again, the artists used a religious painting to also depict something non-religious (?) in the sky:

Closeup of the object behind the Virgin on the right and also the left background:

Another well-known painting with a saucer appearing object on closeup reveals angels and a beam going through a dove - so debunked as a ufo:

So yeah, that's a depiction of the Holy Spirit coming upon Mary.

Although the mosaics definitely were representing the effects of a comet, I don't think that first painting with aerial objects on either side does - and so I think it's safe to rule out that the rocket/flying object was meant to represent a comet with perhaps a bad angel/demon as the pilot?

In locating an alternative mosaic picture, I noticed that none were available that one could clearly see the rocket in the sky - can't say that surprises me.

So, was it a manned rocket or a rather odd depiction of a comet and if so, why didn't Dwyer make note of it?

 

[mrtn]

The object is first seen at 9:30 in the video

After a while I saw that it's probably supposed to be a hand, maybe giving the sword or giving order. It makes sense also compared to other hands in the picture.
Here is a larger version:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Ravenna_Basilica_of_San_Vitale_mosaic3.jpg

 

[JEEP]

After a while I saw that it's probably supposed to be a hand, maybe giving the sword or giving order. It makes sense also compared to other hands in the picture.

You're right - the enlarged picture makes it possible to discern that's it's a hand (God) consistent with those in the other mosaics. It's too bad Dwyer didn't mention that particular aspect of the scene in the video. Still, have to wonder about those other paintings with what could be construed as ufos.

Thanks mrtn, for the 'hand'!

 

[herondancer]

Thanks for the images JEEP. In the close up of the disc in the Annunciation, I think the artist was trying to evoke Ezekial's wheel vision. It's not a precise replication but there are faces around the disc and the cloud of flashing lightning. Ezekiel could have seen a UFO. It's a passage that's intrigued scholars for centuries.


Ezekiel 1-2 New International Version (NIV)

Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision

1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him.

4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.

10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.

15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.

19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome. 23 Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty,[b] like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

25 Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

 

[JEEP]

Ezekiel could have seen a UFO. It's a passage that's intrigued scholars for centuries.

Ezekiel's wheels - well, that takes me back, all the way back to Erich von Daniken's Chariots of the Gods. What a wake-up call that was, especially with the increasing speculation as to if ufos were real and if the government was covering up what was going on. I seem to recall seeing a drawing in the local paper back then that attempted to illustrate what Ezekiel described, but a cursory search of the net isn't bringing up anything that looks like that particular depiction. Course, that was close to 50 years ago, so how reliable is that memory? Well, as we now know, they have been with us for a very long time. And thanks to Laura, we know exactly why.